


Armageddon Unveiled

by Bakery300



Category: Ben 10 Series, Magic: The Gathering (Card Game)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26651890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bakery300/pseuds/Bakery300
Summary: An Artifact thought to be exiled from assistance in the Multiverse of Magic arrives in the Eldraine throne room, its powers calling Planeswalkers from all walks of life to it. What would this artifact be? Well who knows, but no one would get a chance to find out as it's stolen in the middle of the evening by public enemy number one, Oko. This can't be good...
Kudos: 1





	Armageddon Unveiled

A peaceful slumber settled over the reflective pools of water. This was the resting place of two legendary dragon twins. One was a spirit that could sometimes still be seen and the other only a quiet glare hidden in the fading reflections of passersby. These were the immortal spirit dragon, Ugin, and the now-mortal thought-dead prisoner, the dragon formally known as Nicol Bolas. With Ugin keeping watch over their resting place, making sure that the mortal dragon never was found, the multiverse could rest easier. The occasional planeswalker that did pass through often would miss either brother and just carry on their way, oblivious to the two powerful entities residing there. Unfortunately, their hidden presence would be the reason behind the mortal dragon’s inevitable revival.

With a blinding light from a planeswalker's appearance, there came a man dressed in ragged clothes and hauling the most peculiar of items. It was a large circular emblem, bigger than a royal stage coach’s wheels, and was inscribed with dozens of unknown glyphs. The object had a notable hub in its center.

_ Let's see those foul twins or that brute find me here _ , the ragged planeswalker thought,  _ Can't follow someone who doesn't know where they're heading! _ He stood upon the pristine water's edge at a beach and looked out at the plane. It appeared fairly barren. Beautiful, but lacking any people or semblance of civilization.  _ Good enough of a place to hide. _ With no time wasted, he laid the large disc upon a nearby rock and walked into the never-ending pond, rinsing his face and taking a drink.  _ Oh boy, this is refreshing. _ He shook his head like a wolf,  _ Now let’s catch a nap in the sun... _ With a quick look to the sky, he realized this plane didn't exactly have a 'sun', but there was still light,  _ Light of the day, rather. _ So, with the disc behind him, he laid down in the smooth ground near the beach and closed his eyes.

_ “HELLO, TRAVELER,” _ a voice echoed throughout the planeswalker's head.

He panicked, jumping from his restful state, “Who said that?”

“IT WAS ME,” claimed the voice, “THE GREAT SPIRIT OF THE MEDITATION REALM.” The voice was deep and coarse, almost gravel-like.

“Spirit of the Meditation Realm,” the planeswalker repeated, trailing off a moment to think. He just as quickly fabricated a story, “I was hoping I would run into you,” his faux smile indistinguishable to the untrained eye, “I’ve recently come across a very powerful artifact, something unseen by any other mortal’s eyes.” He raised the disc above his head, “As you can see, and feel, this artifact is simple breathing with magical power-”

There was a sudden low rumbling that swept through the plane. “YOU STOLE IT.”

“Stolen!?” he squabbled, “I’ve done no such thing! I simply found this by a pond. The markings on it fading away with time, becoming illegible. I only hope this historical artifact is not one that contains words of value.”

“AND IF IT HAD?” the voice growing seemingly curious.

“I would make certain that those words, once lost to time, become the great and powerful words they once were!” The faux smile gave way to a real one, “If I only had a place to work, private, away from those who would tarnish my glorious refurbishments.”

“YES, THAT CAN BE ARRANGED, MR?”

“Oko,” he responded eloquently, grabbing his disc, “and yourself?”

“YOU MAY CALL ME SYM’LACRUM.” 

Along a nearby cliffside, there came the noise of collapsing rubble. It was a newly made opening to the inner workings of a cave system. “WILL THIS CAVE ALLOW YOU TO WORK UNDISTURBED?”

A faint snicker came across Oko, “Oh this cave is more than enough to work undisturbed,” he made his way to the cave’s entrance, taking a quick glance inside, “It’s not only spacious but look at this interior! Shimmering stalactites, pools of crystal-clear water, and,” Oko, gasped, “Is that skylight?” He took a deep breath, “This place is perfect,” putting no more than a foot into the cave, “However, there is the concern of accessibility.” He leaned against the wall beside the entrance. “Afterall, I would like to be able to conceal myself at my own leisure.”

“THEN I HAVE GREAT NEWS,” came the low rumble, “THIS CAVE CAN BE OPENED AT THE LEISURE OF THE PLANESWALKER CONCEALED WITHIN. WHICH WOULD BE YOU.”

“Marvelous,” he clapped, “Then may I?” He gestured to the open cave door.

With a growling exasperation quietly echoing across the rippling water, the cave entrance closed again. “SIMPLY PLACE YOUR HAND UPON THAT ROCK AND THE DOOR WILL OPEN.”

With an martial eye, Oko placed his palm upon the stone. There was a moment of quiet nothing before a spark of golden light emanated from his hand around the stone. The cave shuddered and began to spiral into the opening that was there before. “Would you look at that. Magical craftsmanship at its finest!” he praised, letting his wide smile not go unseen by any watchful eyes. “Thank you for the sanctuary within this cavern, Sym'Lacrum,” he hoisted the now luminous disc and hauled it behind him,  _ I swear, not five minutes ago this thing was nowhere near this heavy. _

As he set the disc upon a flat, table-like rock, Oko pressed the same rock he’d seen on the outside, “Now I bid you adieu, for I must bring back the past so that a new era of young may understand the prior lost knowledge of a lost or even fallen empire!” 

The cave slowed to a curling shut as the Sym'Lacrum last few words echoed, “WE’LL SOON SEE.”

_ Well, that wasn’t suspicious at all,  _ he noted,  _ I should get working. Who knows how long this spirit of the meditation realm will actually be fooled. _ He turned back to see the disc laying flat against a table-like rock. It was then it became noticeable that there were illuminated glyphs glowing in a rotating pattern.  _ I know that it’s possible I missed that on the first day, maybe even the second day, but there is no conceivable way I missed a set of rotating glyphs on an ancient mysterious artifact that-  _ With a sudden jolt, he felt his body grab a nearby bludgeoning rock, his eyes glazed over with a faint purple haze. His breathing grew erratic and he held the stone above the center of the disc.

“STOP!” commanded a new voice. One with a much fuller voice than the gravel toned Sym'Lacrum.

Oko doubled over, his head and chest seething in pain, “Wh0 the- What the-?” He failed to speak as he clutched at his head. He turned, facing the now opened cave with an unfamiliar face standing in the doorway.

In the door hovered a seafoam colored spirit. “To answer, I am Ugin. Guardian of The Mortal Dragon, and protector of The Prison Realm,” the figure took the loose shape of a dragon, but still seemed ethereal, as it claimed to be, “Now who might you be, Planeswalker?”

Oko struggled to his feet, “Where are my manners, great Ugin. Protector of the prison realm and guardian of the mortal dragon.” He bowed ever so slightly to cover up his bending in pain. “My name is Oko, and it is my apologies that your other spiritual associate that resides here has not informed you of my work in this cave.” 

Ugin seemed unphased by the artifact but grew ever more curious by his talk of another spirit. “Oh-Koh, was it?” he questioned politely, “Could you please describe this spirit to me?”

“Oh heavens, if I could give you any form of information that would aid you, I definitely would!” Oko chimed, his headache and chest pain subsiding, “However, the issue arises that I have not physically, nor illusionally, seen the great spirit that aided me earlier.” He shrugged letting a deep sigh of sorrow, “The only thing I know is his name and the tone of his voice.”

“That would be an excellent starting place if you would,” Ugin coaxed.

“Certainly, Ugin. I believe his name was Silacrumb. Or was it Silimacrumb.” Oko began pacing back and forth around the cave, “Oh!” he snapped his fingers, “That’s right it Simulacrum!”

Ugin’s body shimmered, the light bouncing off the caverns' beautiful surfaces.

“Um, Ugin?” 

“That’s not right,” he mumbled to himself.

“What’s not right?”

Calmly, Ugin turned away from the cave and looked out to the distant horizon, “That is impossible.”

Laughter echoed from an all too familiar deep and angry voice, and Ugin was fretting. “BROTHER, I BELIEVE THE WORD YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IS IMPROBABLE!” The terrifying sound of the restraints keeping the mortal dragon in place began to slowly, but surely, strain to their breaking point.

“Oko,” Ugin whispered, “What did you give him?”

“I gave the spirit I talked to formerly nothing. I was actually treated quite nicely, with Simulacrum even finding me this place in which I could interact with this once lost artifact.”

He turned his head slightly, keeping a close watch on the horizon, “What do you mean, he found you this place?”

“The method is quite simple, really,” Oko pressed the black rock suspended upon the spiraled opening. The golden energy flowed from his hand as he pressed it, this time making his legs weak as he let go. The cave entrance spiraled shut but was quickly stopped by Ugin’s presence in the entryway.

“That’s how,” his voice but a wisp. 

Ugin summoned a small sphere of magical energy and pulled the rock from the wall. 

Oko jumped back, hoping to avoid debris, but made no comments on the situation.

Within his swirling sphere of magic, Ugin studied the rock, but what he realized, only made him quiver. “An Ioun Stone.” 

“A Leonin Stone?” Oko questioned, stammering back to his disc and the very seat-looking chair he’d noticed. 

“EE-Own Stone,” Ugin enunciated, “A vein of jewel that has various different magical abilities that are capable of doing anything in the right hands.” He let the sphere hover beside him, “And if it is here and if it has even an ounce of magical ener-”

He was swiftly cut off by the dreaded noise that finally arose, the sound of the restraints finally giving way, “My imprisonment is over, brother.”

Ugin knew this day was fated to happen, but he’d not foreseen it coming this soon.

“Come out of your hiding, Ugin,” his brother's voice was even grizzlier than Ugin remembered and twice as menacing. “Please don’t make this difficult, I only wish to invite you to join me.” 

Ugin's spiritual body began to sputter and phase through the nearby wall. He knew this ‘meeting’ was merely a term for surrender rather than a conversation of camaraderie. Embracing the inevitable, Ugin approached the shoreline and witnessed his brother’s decrepit body released for the first time since the Ravnican war. The Mortal Dragon’s petrifying roar rang across the skies as he crashed upon the once calm waters. His wings were tattered and his teeth cracked and gnarled, but his posture remained straight and his horns pristine.

“Brother.” Ugin greeted his prisoner, his voice wavering.

“Ugin.” The Mortal Dragon retorted, closing his wings. The two were locked in an unflinching stare that neither wished to break.

Back within the cave, Oko’s vision had become blurry, his mind a haze, and his eyes coated in a purple glaze. He stood upon his knees and stared at the vibrantly glowing disc. Its beauty was unfathomable in his mind's eye.

_ Strike the center. _ A malicious artificial voice commanded.

_ Allow us to enter. _ Came another with a thick, nearly dwarven, accent.

Oko’s gaze narrowed on the disc, as a faint humming began to rise up. 

_ Open the b-b-b-bridge. _ Came the voice of a stuttering, gnomish sounding person.

_ Give up your home. _ Came the ghastliest voice, sounding hoarse and insane.

Oko stared down at this hypnotic device, his mouth practically hanging open, “I will strike the center and allow you to cross, giving you entry…”

_ With it, your life will be the cost. _ Came one final voice. It seemed the most human in dialect but seemed filtered and distorted.

Oko’s hand reached for the rock he’d dropped earlier, “My life will be the cost.”

“Oko, you bastard,” cried the voice of an angry man. Standing outside a glowing silver portal was a burly man dressed all in pelts and leather and wielded metal guards on his arms and hands. Over his shoulder was a giant axe with a blade the size of a child. 

Behind him, the air shimmered and crackled like lightning and ice as two planeswalkers emerged from it, still in their Kylem Game garb. Of the two, there was a man dressed in blue-coated plate armour, no sleeve on either arm, and a regal blue cape hanging from his shoulders. The other, a woman with layers of red leather armour and metal plating adorning her hips and chest. A white cape with red accents and white tassels hung from her shoulders as well. Both wielded swords of a similar design and neither happy to see the planeswalker who was lying defenseless on the cave floor. 

With his eyes still coated in a purple matte, Oko’s body began moving without his want. His lifeless face let his mouth hang agape, his vision narrowed on the three visitors. “I must strike the center and allow them to enter.” His voice was weak and sounded as though he was on the verge of passing out. “I must open the bridge and give up my home.” His voice became a wheeze-filled nightmare, “My life must be the cost!”

“Will, now!” the woman yelled.

The planeswalker in blue let loose a burst of chilling wind that quickly contained Oko inside of a block of ice, his hand mere inches from striking the center. 

“Friends of yours?” the Mortal Dragon questioned his brother, an unmistakable scowl adorning his face. 

Ugin’s outward expression did not break from its mild and composed manner, but his inner thoughts however, _ I don’t recollect calling for help. _ He turned his head only partially, to keep an eye on his brother while also glancing back to the three new arrivals. “Who are you three?”

The primary coloured planeswalkers turned, weapons and magic at the ready. 

“Wait!” called the axe-wielding brute, his hand reaching back signaling just that.  _ These are bigger than anything I’ve even killed,  _ he remarked in his mind.

_ I don’t recommend doing that, Garruk Wildspeaker, Slayer of Planeswalkers _ , Ugin’s voice echoed through Garruk’s head. 

“Stay out of my head,” Garruk commanded, his hand gripping tightly to his axe.

“My apologies,” Ugin said, no longer concentrating on his three new intruders. 

The blue planeswalker walked to the edge of the water, against the wishes of their brutish accompaniment. “Who are you?” he questioned. He’d lowered his sword and his magic aura had been subdued. 

“I am Ugin,” he responded calmly, “Who are you two?”

The planeswalker in red joined the man in blue at the water’s edge, “We are Kennrith Twins, Rowan and Will.” 

Will elbowed his twin, “Ro, they’re strangers. What are you doing?” he whispered, annoyed. 

The mortal dragon rolled its eyes, “Oh goodie, the Royal Scions.” 

All attention quickly shifted to him.

“You’ve heard of us?” Will questioned.

The mortal dragon smirked, “No, but that your name and that title are linked together in the mind of your once-captured planeswalker.” 

Garruk and the twins quickly turned, magic and weapons at the ready, only to find Oko still frozen. 

“Gullible,” the mortal dragon commented, “And furthermore, weak-minded.”

Rowan’s sword buzzed with lightning as she stared at the cock mortal dragon, “Who are you to judge us?”

“You want to know who I am?” 

“Brother, stop.” Ugin raised a claw to him. “You children as well,” his voice boomed, “Do not feed his power further by simply falling prey to anger caused by his malicious pestering.”

Will stepped next to his sister, “We will refrain from anger, but she does pose a good question.” Will sheathed his sword, “Who is he?”

The mortal dragon’s gnarled smile grew, “I, child of Eldraine, am-,” he trailed off, losing his gravelly voice to a silencing echo. 

“Stop it, now!” Ugin commanded the mortal dragon, a silver mist surrounded his brother’s neck and restrained his wings.

“Oh, that can’t be,” Garruk yelled, “He’s supposed to be dead!” 

“Um... which one?” Rowan questioned.

“Well both are supposed to be, but the scaly one especially.” Garruk’s magical aura flowed through his weapon in frustration.

“Well, who is he?” Will asked, intrigued. 

“Garruk,” Ugin shouted weakly, confused how his practically powerless brother was contesting his own magic.

“If the dragon standing in front of me is indeed the same one who started the war on Ravnica,” time practically stood still as the name rolled off Garruk's tongue, “He would be Nicol Bolas.” 

A translucent wisp of purple steam escaped Garruk’s mouth and flowed effortlessly to nicol bolas. 

“Thank you, Garruk.” nicol bolas complimented. His tail reached out and snatched the Ioun stone that had been floating alongside the now desperately distracted Ugin. A deep blue wave of energy surged over nicol bolas, the Ioun stone taking its place amidst his horns. “Finally, power surges through my claws again.” His grissle-filled laughter shook the plane, “It was fun, brother, but now I’ll take my leave.” The Ioun stone began to glow brightly before coating itself in a bright purple light and... planeswalking away. Without nicol bolas. 

There was absolute silence amongst the present company. The Royal Scions couldn’t believe that they were witnessing the two most historical dragons in a standoff, Garruk was speechless that nicol bolas was alive, and Ugin was both thankful and terrified that his brother’s stolen spark planeswalked without him. Startlingly, within the deafening silence came a noise that would only make life more difficult: the sound of shattering ice and clattering metal. 

“ _ The center is struck.” _ The malicious artificial voice called, everyone clearly able to hear.

The twins and Garruk turned to see the lifeless Oko face down, having struck the metal disc. It was glowing a brilliant purple and the voice they’d heard was coming from exactly that, and that voice wasn’t the only one to escape.

_ “Now we will enter,” _ returned the now metallic-sounding, nearly dwarven voice.

_ “The Bridge is Finally C-c-completed!” _ cried the echoing voice of the gnomish elder.

_ “Your home is ours.” _ cackled the insane, blood-curdling, ghastly voice.

_ “Your life was gladly accepted.” _ From the glowing center, the true fears began to ignite. Slowly, but unmistakably, the silhouette of a man was appearing at its center. He was dressed in black, with strange purple plate armour as well as shoulder padding. He had glowing purple gauntlets on each hand, the power from them vibrated the air around them. A violet cape laid across his shoulders and a grey visored helmet rested over his head. The only organic part of him visible were his exhausted and thrilled eyes. “Finally, I’ve arrived.” His voice was deep and filled with rage, even in his calmest statements.

“Who are you?” questioned Rowan, reaching for her blade.

“State your business!” Will followed up, his hand concealing a sphere of ice behind his back.

The traveler’s gaze turned to the twins, “My name? That is a question I’ve often been asked, but it’s true answer is never revealed. I don’t plan on doing that today.” He stepped off of the disc, beside Oko’s lifeless body. He nudged the corpse with his foot, a small chuff escaped his voice, one almost comparable to laugh. 

With the twins and Garruk clearly armed, and himself clearly outnumbered, he sighed. “If you must name me, you may call me Eon.” The disc began to whir to life, glowing as it did moments ago, “As for why I’m here, you may call it, seeking refuge.” He turned around and his gauntlets began to glow, letting loose a blinding beam of pale purple light and encompassed the entirety of the disc.

“Interesting,” nicol bolas commented. He’d taken to ducking to peek within the cave. “Eon, what are you doing with that disc? Who do you seek refuge from?” 

Not only did the large disheveled dragon catch Eon off guard, but everyone else around them had turned in bewilderment that the dragon that had nearly destroyed the cosmos was intrigued by this individual. 

Regaining his composure, Eon moved to the opposite side of the disc, as to continue both his task and keep a close eye on either dragons. “We are seeking refuge from the man known as The Oncoming Storm, the wielder of the most powerful weapon in the Omniverse. With it, he could merely think and all would be destroyed” His recollection caused him to loosen his use of power, the glowing beams dampened and his eyes tinged with fear, straining at the thought. 

“We?” Will questioned, hoping to distract Eon from his sad memories. 

“Yes. I’m using my power to open this gateway long enough to allow my compatriots on the other side safe passage.” The light of his energy beams slowly brightened back up, but they didn’t seem to return to their prior blindingly bright state.

“Gateway?” Ugin chimed in, his interest finally peaked. 

“Yes,” Eon noted, pausing yet again because of another large dragon, this one a spectral rather than scaly, “The artifact on which I arrived, it’s a gateway throughout the omniverse.”

“Really,” both dragon brothers asked, both surprised by the other’s intrigue.

“What is it called?” Asked Rowan, her curiosity had finally gotten the better of her.

“They are ‘The Hands’.” Eon’s attention had drifted away from the group of dragons and magic humans, and returned back to his task. 

“The Hands?” Garruk questioned, loosening the grip on his axes.

Without explanation, The Hands began ringing again. It was as if a gong had been struck by an angel and a demon simultaneously.The tone was high yet off key and caused even the powerful dragons of legend to cruple to their knees in audible pain. 

Through the pain, Will summoned up his strength and conjured a wall of ice before them, separating the havok that was The Hands from the vulnerable group of planeswalkers and nicol bolas. 

“What in my plane is going on,” Ugin demanded, still dazed. 

“Oh, how rude of me,” Eon laughed, his voice deep and menacing, even causing the great nicol bolas to step back in distaste. “I may have embellished the truth ever so slightly.” He laughed, as more figures emerged from atop The Hands. “I wasn’t lying about a person who could destroy anything by a mere thought, and by definition we are refugees, but we are also more than that. 

“You see, children, we are not just visitors trying to escape our tyrannical controller of law, but also,” there was a momentary silence as a construct of clockwork design appeared on the other side of Will’s ice wall, “We also want a place of our own to control.” As if on queue, the wall of ice shattered into thousands of tiny shards. His deep dwarven laugh echoed, as Eon and his other refugees approached. 

“Thank you Maltruant,” Eon praise, “But now, I believe it’s Zs'Skayr’s turn.”

From behind Maltruant and Eon, a spectral creature with a skeletal head and bone-like claws flew towards nicol bolas, “Well, well, looks like we got a suitable defenseless host!” With a small ripple among bolas’ scales, he merged with bolas, causing him to flail wildly. bolas's body slowly grew dark black lines along his scales, his eyes mutating into thick purple spheres with a dark purple iris. His teeth cracked as the creature's voice combined with bolas’ own. “The power, the aspirations, the conquests...” the creature laughed, no, shrieked along with bolas’ deepened laughter. The combined high screaming and low chortle was terrifying to even the most evil of people; even Eon showed a tinge of regret on this decision. 

“Zs'Skayr, stick to the plan!” Eon commanded.

“But it's so tantalizing,” bolas’s head began to turn sideways, “The power, it's stronger than anything I’ve ever controlled!” The back of his throat was filled with a velvet purple aura and tickling purple and orange flame. Further and further his head twisted, pushing it to the limits, cracking and creaking. 

Ugin roared, a blue light glowed from his horn, his wings, and from his claws. “Get out of my brother!” Dozens of small spirit creatures appeared alongside bolas and more going within. The black lines encompassing bolas shattered apart, and were replaced by lights of blinding turquoise light. It radiated throughout his being and up into his horns, his teeth, his eyes. There was no change beyond light until, “I said, Get! Out!” Ugin, for the first time in front of any mortal, let loose a foul roar compiled with a breath of pure, unadulterated flame. 

The spectacle caused Garruk to throw down his axes and cover the twins. The cave they’d resided in was collapsing around them, but bolas was freed of the attempted possession. As for the creature within him, he was sent recoiling against his compatriots, fearful of the blinding light. 

The fire died down, and Ugin breathed deeply. The crumbling cave finally came to his attention as he commanded his remaining spirits to safely secure the twins and Garruk. “I can’t believe you brought that out of me.” He seemed angry and his teeth were still smoking with the flames of his breath. 

“Impressive,” called out the construct known as Maltruant, “I didn’t know a peaceful dragon such as yourself, could muster such powerful breath.” 

Ugin wanted to retort, but he knew he needed to hold his tongue. That didn’t stop him from standing menacingly over his brother, unconscious on the cavern’s floor, daring them to try something else. 

“How did you know he was a peaceful dragon?” Will stood, now free of Garruk’s cover. 

From behind Eon and Maltruant came a mutated purple clawed crustacean. “That, my dear boy, you can th-tha-thank your precious f-f-friend, Oko.” His left claw was the size of a mastiff and his right the size of a woodworker’s hammer. 

“First, not our friend,” Rowan responded agitated, pulling forth her own blade once more, “Second, how could you talk to him from across the Omniverse, as you call it?” 

“I told you, it’s a gateway,” Eon retorted, “Both sides are capable of listening, if one knows how.”

“So what are you doing here?” Garruk questioned, his axes in a vice grip, only held back by his confusion over Eon's compatriots.

“We told you,” came a surprisingly quiet slime, “We will take what’s ours. We seek a place to rule over. Our own abode.”

“We’ll see about that,” came the angry roar of Ugin, followed by another breath of wild white fire.

Maltruant simply held up a hand and the cog in his head began to spin. “This may come as a surprise to you, spirit dragon, but time is my dominion.” With a whir and a whistle, his clockwork key in his head spun and a pulse of red energy coated the lightning, the planeswalkers, everything. “Your spirit fire is interesting, but I’ve seen it before.” With a snap, the fire was snuffed, Ugin dropped, and everyone finally comprehended the situation. Armageddon was at the doorstep. 

“Malware, get us somewhere else,” Eon commanded, turning his back to the fallen planeswalkers.

“With pleasure.” With his black body highlighted with red lines running through all around, Malware’s hand touched and coated The Hands. 

“Someone will stop you,” Ugin said, gasping for his breath. His vision was blurred, something he’d never thought he’d have to deal with.

“Oh please,” the crab creature commented, “In our Omniv-v-verse, only one person could ever deal with us as a single enti-ti-ti-ty.” He’s static non-moving mouth contorted into a smile, “With him out of the picture, your pathetic planes-s-swalkers are practically null. And I use the term literally.”

His body quivering, Ugin looked over to the twins and Garruk laying lifeless.  _ “Garruk, if you can hear me, go to Dominaria and retrieve the Gatewatch.”  _ His body convulsed, still restrained within Maltruant’s time powers. 

There was a brief movement from the pile of planeswalkers as suddenly Garruk’s body vanished. Unfortunately, it did not go unnoticed by Eon’s companions. 

“Where did the feral axe wielder go?” Zs'Skayr’s hoarse, blood-curdling voice cried, pointing at where Garruk had been laying.

“I don’t know,” Ugin shouted, his voice weak as Maltruant exercised his power of restraint on him.

“Ignore him,” came Malware, “Eon, it’s time.” His hand and body had merged with The Hands. 

“Maltruant, Psychobos, Zs'Skayr, let’s go,” Eon commanded, “Well it’s been fun, Ugin and company. I almost hate to leave like this,” a faint chuckle escaped his voice, “Let’s go.” Each of the compatriots placed a hand upon the gateway.

A low rumbling arose from the mouth of the cave. The tired body of bolas stirred to wakefulness, “Then allow me to give you a parting gift.” From deep within his throat a blast of orange fire escaped, striking the center. 

“You idio-!” Eon roared, the gateway cutting him off. Light bursting from its center and encompassing the cave blinding all inside. As the light faded nothing remained. No Ugin. No Scions. No omniversal villains. Nothing living remained. 

_ “You’re making it very difficult to not get involved,”  _ echoed the sardonic voice of time manipulating planeswalker. Outside the cave, in a flash of negative light, appeared the spirit dragon, the twin scions as well as the mortal dragon, within the clear waters. 

“Teferi,” Ugin nodded his head to the robed planeswalker, who’d just appeared standing on the sandy beach. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“Actually you can. Answer me one question,” Teferi proclaimed dourly, his brow furrowed. He ground his teeth, nearly snarling, “Why the hell is this thing alive!” He picked up and slammed the mortal dragon back into the water, causing waves to crash amongst the plane. He’d taken to phasing him out.

“Because he has cheated his own death at the hands of Tetsuo and I cheated death by becoming the Spirit Dragon you see.” Ugin moved above the sandy shore, “I determined that the surest way to neutralize my brother was to imprison him while tricking the multiverse into thinking he perished.” 

“How does fooling the multiverse assure its safety?” Teferi questioned. 

“His arrogance.” Ugin stared at his brother, barely visible in the space he’d disappeared, “It would be almost certain that he would have precautions in place in the event of his own death, but imprisonment would never occur to him as an outcome.” 

“He has followers- they could call out to and summon him if they knew he was alive.”

“I took that into consideration, relieving him of his spark and both his birth name and his self proclaimed name.” 

Teferi’s piercing stare didn’t rescind, but the mortal dragon arose from the water, slowly gaining his footing. “I don’t appreciate being manipulated, but you do make a valid point.” 

The two ancient planeswalkers looked upon each other, neither appreciating being lied to but both understanding the others' reasons for their actions. “So what happened here? If it wasn’t for my intervention, your company would be nothing but ash.”

Ugin scowled, letting a low rumble of a growl escape his throat. “It was that metal artifact in that cave,” he pointed towards the opening in the side of the mountain, “It is called The Hands of Armageddon. They have been shown to be able to act as a gateway between multiverses as well as create massive cataclysms with a single touch.” Ugin was recoiling as he recalled what it did and what his brother had done in an attempt to save him, “I also know that those who touch it without understanding it can go mad.” He pointed towards the lifeless husk of Oko, whose body had been crushed by rocks and rubble. 

“What happened to him?” Teferi asked, shifting to genuine worry.

“He stole that artifact from our father’s throne room!” Rowan’s voice rang, she’d finally managed to swim to the shallows and was able to walk to the sand. 

“He’s been using it to evade capture for over a month,” Will added. 

“A month?” the mortal dragon questioned, slowly coming to. Everyone’s eyes shifted to him, “The way he talked, it sounded as if it’d only been earlier that day.” 

Will rolled his eyes, “He could be lying.” 

“That is his agenda, typically,” Rowan followed up. 

“Children, I’ve been around for centuries and I’ve lied, manipulated, and even mentally controlled people,” he pushed himself to a standing position, “That man, without hesitation or forethought, thought it’d been the same day as when he stole The Hands.” 

Teferi touched his staff to the planeswalker’s head, the overflowing mist surrounding his body. “Let me see what happened.” Within the smoke Teferi watched as he rewound Oko’s life back to the point of stealing The Hands. He allowed the vision to play out from that point, following from Oko’s point of view, and what he witnessed caused issues. The smoke split itself into two clouds, one showing the point where Oko had made it to the meditation realm and the other where he was planeswalking faster than any recorded planeswalker, over and over again. “That’s not possible...” he whispered, “Both stories can’t be right.” 

On queue, the siren call of The Hands rang in Teferi’s head. Unlike with Oko, it wasn’t saying anything coherent, rather, it spoke a soft melody in some language he didn’t understand.  _ Estotei Quasai Integumentum Imatari Proximum, Abaeo Exorior,  _ its voice and its words drew him close. 

“Teferi!” Ugin called, “What are you doing?”

“It’s singing...” Teferi trailed off, entranced. 

“Listen, it’s not saying anything, it’s someone on the other side of the gateway calling out,” Ugin rushed in front of him, “If you touch it we don’t know what will happen, and I’m not going to hesitate to destroy this gateway in order to protect the multiverse from more people that we just rid it of.” 

“You told me that it can only truly be activated by striking it,” Teferi reminded him, “I only wish to get closer, listen, and possibly read those inscriptions.” 

Ugin glared at the entranced planeswalker, “You’ve heard my warning.” Ugin stepped aside, allowing Teferi to get closer to The Hands. 

_ Estotei Quasai Integumentum Imatari Proximum, Abaeo Exorior,  _ the voice grew from speaking in melody to softly singing what sounded like an incantation. “Estotei Quasai,” he began, quietly whispering, “Integumentum Imatari Proximum,” he outstretched his arms and placed his hands upon the cryptic words along the rim of The Hands, “Abaeo Exorior-” A rush of pink tendrils escaped the gateway, spiraling around Teferi’s arms and connecting to his head, his eyes being glossed over with a translucent magenta glow. He wanted to panic and cry out to have Ugin destroy The Hands, but then it happened, images flashed through his mind. The figures from earlier hadn’t been destroyed, they’d been transported to various other planes. One to new Phyrexia, one to Domniaria, one to Amonkhet, one to a plane of monsters whose name appeared in his mind as Ikoria, and the last one... “No,” a tear escaped his eye as his body vanished and reappeared in the waters behind. 

“What happ-” Ugin tried to comfort and question the old planeswalker, but behind him he watched as the energy in The Hands expanded and created a burst of pink energy. It rippled through the plane, ripping the mountains and structures to shred and reducing them to rubble. 

“I’m sorry,” Teferi apologized, his breathing erratic and his vision blurred with tears, “Let me see if I can repair that.” He placed his hands around his staff, and banged it into the ground in front of him. His eyes glowed a bright blue and before him appeared a floating glyph, it was circular and held the symbol that stood for time. 

Everyone stood waiting to see him use his powers and show off his mastery of time. 

Nothing. 

“Teferi?” Ugin questioned.

“There’s no mana...” he trailed off, his glyph fading and his eyes returning to normal.

Ugin sighed, “I was afraid something like this would happen.” He raised his claw and several spectral dragons appeared, “Guard the gateway, if anyone would approach it or tamper with it summon me.” They vanished from sight, going to do their task. He turned his attention back to the now powerless planeswalker, “Now, what happened? What did you see?”

Teferi’s sadness vanished with a deep breath, quickly converting to concern and anger, “Those people you thought you rid the multiverse of, they aren’t gone.” 

“But that explosion?” Rowan asked.

“Wasn’t one that would kill, it sent them spiraling amongst the planes. Each landing elsewhere.” 

“Where did they each go?” Ugin questioned. 

“Well...” Teferi clutched his head as a pain brought him to his knee, “I don’t know, I only remembered where one of them went, and he’s not there yet.” 

“Well, we’re going to need assistance if we’re going to sour the entire multiverse to find them.” Will expressed. 

“Then it’s a good thing I brought some,” came the familiar voice of Garruk. Behind him several people appeared, led by a man cloaked in blue. “Will the Gatewatch suffice?” 


End file.
